WEATHER RECORDS: JANUARY, 1937.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 54, Issue 2, 20 February 1937, Page 127

WEATHER RECORDS: JANUARY, 1937.

Dominion Meteorological Office..

Notes for January.

Though the rainfall was below normal in parts, of the South Island, the weather was generally, humid, and January was a wet month, especially in the North Island. The humid conditions favoured the growth of pasture, which is still abundant, in many places indeed superabundant. Stock, consequently, are in good condition, and the milkyield has been well maintained. Feed remains rather soft, however, and lambs have not fattened very well. The cool weather, too, has been rather unfavourable for crops of most kinds. Shearing, which had been held over in some districts by the wet weather, was still further delayed, and haymaking was interfered with. White butterflies have been rather more numerous again. Unusually low pressures prevailed throughout the month, which was more stormy and windy than most Januaries. Rainfall.- The whole of the North Island, with the exception of parts of Taranaki, had more than the average rainfall. North Auckland had more than double, and between Hawke’s Bay and the Bay of Plenty, also, it was very wet. In the South Island, though it was generally a wet month, the total falls were below normal in Nelson and parts of North Canterbury and Otago. . Temperatures were below normal over almost the whole country, the departure being generally about 2° F. Hastings and Hanmer Springs, however, were warmer than usual, doubtless owing to the Fohn effect in the strong westerly winds. About the middle of the month a few frosts were recorded, and snow fell to rather low levels on the mountains. Sunshine was above normal at Wellington and in eastern districts of the South Island, but elsewhere was below it. Blenheim had 277-2 hours, Lake Tekapo 272-7, and Nelson 255-2. Pressure Systems. —-On the Ist a depression was passing away eastward, and the weather was still disturbed over the Dominion. Rain was widespread. Some heavy falls occurred on both coasts-of the North Island, but particularly in the north-east. ■ On the sth a vigorous disturbance came from the Tasman Sea, and a centre of low pressure moved from west of the Auckland Peninsula south-south-easterly across the North Island. Heavy rain was general. Between the 9th and the 12th there was a series of westerly depressions which affected principally the South Island and southern portions of the North. On the 14th a cyclonic depression, which had developed in the North Tasman Sea, moved southwards from near Norfolk Island across the North Island and finally filled up on the 16th. On the 14th to 15th easterly gales in the Auckland Province did considerable damage. Heavy rain was again general over the North Island, and some flooding occurred in North Auckland and southern Hawke’s Bay. Dannevirke had 8-25 in. of rain on the 16th. ■ After a brief interval of anticyclonic weather, a series of very deep westerly depressions crossed the South Island between the 19th and 23rd. In the south the barometer fell below 29 in. Westerly gales were experienced in many places, and heavy rain fell in the west and south. The last storm of the month began as a tropical cyclone in the northern New Hebrides and passed, a week later, in a south-easterly direction down the .east coast of the Auckland Peninsula on the 29th and 30th. Strong easterly winds and heavy rain occurred in eastern and northern parts of the North Island. At the same time, a westerly depression passing in the south brought heavy rain to the west coast of the South Island.

Station. Total Fall. Number of Wet Days. Maximum ' Fall. Average January Fall. Total Rainfall . to Date. Average . Rainfall to Date. North Island. Inches. : . Inches. Inches. Inches. Inches. Kaitaia .. 8-47 13 I -90 3'94 8-47 3'94 Russell ■ .. .. 17-10 ' 13 5-15 4-°9 17 • 10 -4-09 Whangarei ' .. 10-64 14 ■4-30 3’93 10-64 3’93 Auckland : . . 4-41 18 1-58 2-97 4-41 . 2-97 Hamilton .. .. ■'5'28 16 I • 61 3'57 5-28 3-57 Rotorua .. . . 4-18 4-18 Kawhia . .. 3'55 3-55 New Plymouth . . . 4-24 14 I -04 4-18 4-24 4-18 Riversdale, Inglewood . . 7-97 14 I-6 7'5* 7’97 7-5i Whangamomona . . 5'20 II ' i-57 5-58 " 5-20 5-58 Hawera .. ■ .. 3-08 15 • 1 -09 . 3-5i 3-08 3-5i Tairua .. 3-66 3-66 Tauranga ... . . ■ 5-38 17 1-67. 4-03 5-38 4-°3 Maraehako Station, Opo-10-43 10 4-70 3’59 10-43 3’59 ■ tiki Gisborne ... .. 5-i5 10 • 67 2 -72 . 5-15 . 2-72 Taupo ... .. 4-62 10 1 -6i ' 3;37. 4-62 3-37 Napier ' .. ... 4-69 ■. 14 2- 18 2-50 . 4-9 2-50 Hastings . . ..' 3-01 12 i-75 -93 . 3 -oi i-93 Whakarara Station .. 6-29 9 -20 6-29 Taihape . . • .. 4-21 22. 1-25 ' 3-18 4-21 . 3-16 Masterton .. .. 4-14 12 1-65 2-56 4-14 2-56 Patea . . : . . 4-07 17 0 • 87 3’59 4'07 3-59 Wanganui .. 3'23 II 1-30 ■ 2-83 3-23 2-83 Foxton .. . • 24 II o-73 2-14. 2-24 2 • 14 Wellington .... ■ 3-18 12 1-26 ' 2-89 3-i8 2-89 South Island. Westport , .. ... 8-93 18 -07 8-20 8-93 8-20 Greymouth .. .. 15-30 22 4-01 9-17 I5-3O 9-17 Hokitika ... 14-36 20 4-38 10 ■ 10 14-36 10 • 10 Ross . . 20-49 18 4-99 12-40 20-49 12 -40 Arthurs Pass . . . . 20-25 17 3'71 14 12 20-25 14 • 12 Okuru, South Westland I4-52 10 3-0° 12-59 . I4-52 12-59 Collingwood .. 9-43 17 2-96 6-71 ’ 9’43 6 • 71 Nelson .. .. -09 7 1-32 2-90 2-09 2-90 Spring Creek, Blenheim 3-65 9 2-00 2-22 3-65 6-22 Seddon 3-59 9 I 76 -84 3'59 1-84 Hanmer Springs • 14 15 O-36 3-95 2 • 14 3-95 Highfield, Waiau 1 -09 8 0-29 2-98 1 -09 2-98 Gore Bay . . 1-30 12 0-23 2-46 1-30 2-46 Christchurch .. 2-08 0-71 2-33 2 -08 2-33 Timaru 3-70 10 I -20 2-39 3-7° 2-39 Lambrook Station, Fairlie 3-4 8 11 o-8i 2-43 3-48 2-43 Benmore Station, Clear5’5° 11 . 2 -06 2'77 5’50 2-77 burn Oamaru .. .. 2-27 10 . 1-28 . -04 2-27 2-04 Queenstown .. 3-86 12 0 • 80 2-87 3-86 ■ 87 Clyde .. . . . 1 • 60 10 0-49 1-85 1 -6o 1-85 Dunedin 3-3i 16 0-96 3-4i 3'31 . 3-4i Wendon .. 4’90 12 2-10 3-20 4'9° 3-20 Balclutha .. 2-35 ■ 14 ‘ 0 • 70 2-31 2-35 2-31 Invercargill .. - .. 4-38 22 0 • 60 4-00 4-38 4-00 Puysegur Point / ... 7-89 20 -07 7-62 7-89 7-62 Half-moon Bay .. 7-21 20 - I-I5 4 • 82 ; J 7-21 4-82

RAINFALLS FOR JANUARY, 1937, AT REPRESENTATIVE STATIONS.